i8 95 . NOTES AND COMMENTS. 231 



the prize shall be offered for the best essay evincing intelligent study 

 of any of the common objects noticed in the fields or woods, on the 

 moors, or by the sea-shore. 



Competitors are to be residents in the counties of Northumber- 

 land or Durham, or in Newcastle-upon-Tyne. The prize is to be 

 awarded by examiners nominated by the Committee of the Natural 

 History Society, and the Trustees of that Society will be Trustees of 

 the fund. 



It has been determined to associate the medal with the name of 

 the late Mr. John Hancock, who was a typical field naturalist, and 

 who more than any man for half a century imparted to Tyne- 

 side a share of his own enthusiasm. 



This excellent* scheme originated with Canon Tristram. We 

 understand that a good beginning has been made towards collecting the 

 necessary capital fund, and we hope the secretaries of the Natural 

 History Society at the Hancock Museum, Newcastle-onTyne, speedily 

 will receive the necessary subscriptions to complete their scheme. 



Geology in the " Court Circular." 



We do not often read the Court Circular, but when we do we 

 learn a good deal. The money article in the number for February 23 

 begins by assuring us " there is not a single money article written in 

 this great London of ours that is not in some way influenced by 

 sordid motives." Near the end the writer urges his readers not to 

 "forget to put your hands on a few African alluvials." He predicts 

 a rise. " The fact is, I have a friend out there, and he is a bit 

 [apparently a very small bit.— Ed. Nat. Scl] of a geologist, and he 

 tells me that much of the land where the property is situated 

 is calcareous tufa. This, Crcesus, may convey nothing to you, but 

 it tells me a good deal. Diamonds are always found where calcareous tufa 

 exists.'" (The italics are in the Court Circular.) If this is all that is 

 conveyed to the mind of the financial correspondent of the Court 

 Circular by the information of the bit of a geologist, we think Croesus 

 is a much safer guide than the "ever-watchful Lynx." We expect, 

 after this, to find the latter recommending his readers to drop their 

 money down the shaft of the St. Augustine's. But he goes on, " I should 

 not be at all surprised if the De Beers people don't offer a huge sum 

 to buy up the property." We should not be at all surprised to hear in 

 the next number that Queen Anne is dead. But to find a guarantee 

 from the editor that the "ever-watchful Lynx " is never again to be 

 allowed to mislead the readers of that journal were too much to hope 

 for. Such is financial journalism ! 



Eccentric Glacial Chronology. 



We all know that every geologist has his own opinion as to the 

 date of the Glacial Period, and it is no doubt the charming 



